One in eight bird species is threatened with extinction, global study finds

Report on the state of the world’s birds reveals a biodiversity crisis driven by intensive farming, with once-common species such as puffins and snowy owls now at risk

Patrick Barkham

Mon 23 Apr 2018 00.01 BSTLast modified on Mon 23 Apr 2018 09.40 BST

One in eight bird species is threatened with global extinction, and once widespread creatures such as the puffin, snowy owl and turtle dove are plummeting towards oblivion, according to the definitive study of global bird populations.

The State of the World’s Birds, a five-year compendium of population data from the best-studied group of animals on the planet, reveals a biodiversity crisis driven by the expansion and intensification of agriculture.

In all, 74% of 1,469 globally threatened birds are affected primarily by farming. Logging, invasive species and hunting are the other main threats.

“Each time we undertake this assessment we see slightly more species at risk of extinction – the situation is deteriorating and the trends are intensifying,” said Tris Allinson, senior global science officer for BirdLife International, which produced the report. “The species at risk of extinction were once on mountaintops or remote islands, such as the pink pigeon in Mauritius. Now we’re seeing once widespread and familiar species – European turtle doves, Atlantic puffins and kittiwakes – under threat of global extinction.”

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Four bird species added to list at risk of global extinction

00:01, 29 OCT 2015

BY EMILY BEAMENT

Atlantic puffins, European turtle doves, pochards and Slavonian grebes were flagged up by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List

Puffins and turtle doves are among four UK bird species now at risk of global extinction, according to a new international assessment.

Atlantic puffins, European turtle doves, Slavonian grebes and pochards have been listed as vulnerable to extinction in the latest annual revision of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species for birds.

It brings the number of UK species at risk of global extinction to eight, while another 14 UK species are considered to be “near threatened” - which means further declines in their fortunes could see them under threat of dying out.

There is even worse news for African vultures, according to the IUCN Red List, which shows that six species are now facing a higher risk of extinction as a result of poisoning, use in traditional medicine and targeting by poachers to hide illegal animal kills.

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